Kenneth S. Arfa, MD

Psychiatrist in Houston, Texas

I often recommend books that help patients during or instead of therapy. Some people love self-help books. If you find it hard to concentrate or to make time to read, you may find many of these on audio books or through Audible.com.

Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment. Ben-Shahar.Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Kabat-Zinn.Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology. Seligman.Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Csikszentmihalyi.The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want.Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith. Vaillant.Stumbling on Happiness. Gilbert.Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Emmons.Creating Optimism. Murray.

College:College of the Overwhelmed. The Campus Mental Health Crisis... Kadison.Letting Go: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years. Coburn. Get this book for mom or dad.The Accent of Success. Shiraev. For international students.

Women:Life Preservers: Good Advice When You Need It Most. Lerner. Advice to women.The Dance of Anger, A Woman’s Guide to Changing the Pattern of Intimate Relationships. Lerner. Self-Nurture: Learning to Care for Yourself as Effectively as You Care for Everyone Else. Domar & Dreher.The V Book: A Doctor’s Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health. Stewart & Spenser.

Medical illness:Harvard Health Letters or special reports, as found on www.health.harvard.edu. Great reports and newsletters on many health topics.Relaxation Revolution: Enhancing Your Personal Health. Benson & Proctor.What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Alzheimer’s Disease. Devi. For patients and their caregiversHeal Your Aching Back. Katz & Parkinson.The Sensitive Gut, A Harvard Medical School Book. Friedman.Gastrointestinal Health: A Self-Help Nutritional Program. Peiken.Facing Cancer: A Complete Guide for People with Cancer, Their Families, and Caregivers. Stern.Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness. Lynn & Harrold.